Everex Systems, Inc.
Everex ("Ever for Excellence!") was founded in 1983, in Fremont, CA. In their early years they produced hard disks, tape backup drives, memory expansion cards, graphics products and modems. Later on, they focussed on manufacturing and selling desktop and notebook computers to the consumer market.
They filed for bankruptcy in January 1993 and the company was purchased by Formosa Plastics Group, hence becoming part of a multinational conglomerate alongside companies like First International Computer (FIC), the world's leading motherboard manufacturer
Memory Expansion Cards
EV-156ALaunched: 1983? |
EV-158ALaunched: 1984? A memory expansion card for AT-class systems. |
EV-159 RAM 3000 DeluxeLaunched: 1984? The RAM 3000 Deluxe was a memory expansion card for AT-compatible systems that were based on the Chips & Technologies CS8220 chipset, allowing anywhere from 128 KB to 3 MB of memory onboard (150ns or faster). It was LIM EMS v3.20-compliant. The DRAM memory chips were installed in six banks and supported only 256 Kbit DRAMs. The card could be bought either with no installed memory, or with memory pre-installed. The provided utility software included an EMS driver, diagnostic utility and print spooler. |
EV-165A Maxi MagicLaunched: 1986 A memory expansion card for XT-class and 286 systems. The board can support up to 2 MB of memory via its eight banks of DRAMs. Only 256Kx1 DRAM ICs are supported, with speeds of 100 or 120ns typical. The first four DIP switches configure the amount of conventional memory (from 64 KB up to 640 KB), while the last four configure the card's base I/O address. Just as with any PC memory banks, each bank must be fully populated and done so contiguously (starting with bank 0 on the far left). The card above is populated with 512 KB of memory, occupying just the first two banks. The drivers and utilities include an Expanded Memory Manager (EMS) driver, a print spooler, and RAM disk driver, plus a configuration test utility. Drivers & Utilities v1.01 More Images |
Graphics Cards
EV-200 Monographics PlusLaunched: 1983 Came with the added bonus of a parallel port (as many MDA cards did at the time). More Images |
EV-221 EvergraphicsLaunched: 1983 Came with the added bonus of a parallel port (as many MDA cards did at the time). |
EV-640 Edge / The Everex EdgeLaunched: 1984? Displays 320 x 200 in 16 colours and 720 x 348 graphics modes. |
Edge IILaunched: 1985? |
EV-222? Evergraphics PlusLaunched: 1985 |
EV-231A Evergraphics PlusLaunched: ? |
EV-231C Evergraphics PlusLaunched: ? |
EV-231D Evergraphics PlusLaunched: ? |
EV-480 / EGA 480Launched: ? |
EV-233 Evergraphics DeluxeLaunched: ? A Hercules-compatible graphics card offering resolutions up to 1024 x 704, while also supporting 1024 x 352 and 720 x 348. In text mode, the card is able to support the HGC Plus "RAM fonts", both 48 KB and 4KB modes. |
EV-653 Micro EnhancerLaunched: ? |
EV-657Launched: ? |
EV-657B Micro EnhancerLaunched: ? |
EV-657 Micro Enhancer DeluxeLaunched: ? |
EV-659 Micro Enhancer DeluxeLaunched: 1987 Codenamed "ICC00203" (named after the main chip), this card not only provides 100% IBM EGA compatibility, but also extended EGA graphics modes including 720 x 410 and 640 x 480, plus 132-column text modes. The card also has auto-switch capabilities so if you run a Hercules or CGA-only application, the card will automatically switch to that resolution and colour depth without having to set jumpers or DIP switches. Click here to see an advert. |
EV-659A Micro EnhancerLaunched: 1987 A "Super EGA" card with AutoMode (automatic mode switching). Compatible with IBM EGA and emulates Hercules and CGA standards. Supports 640 x 350 in 16/64 colours. Also supports:
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EV-235 UltragraphicsLaunched: 1988/1989?
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EV-236 Ultragraphics IILaunched: 1989/1990? |
EV-628 Viewpoint StandardLaunched: 1992 A basic SVGA card built around the AcuMOS AVGA1 graphics chip. AcuMOS would be acquired by Cirrus Logic this same year, rebranding the chip CL-GD5401. It had a built-in RAMDAC and clock generators, making for the production of a very cost-effective Super VGA cards. More Images |
EV-634A Viewpoint Premium VGA ColorLaunched: ? |
EV-633 ViewpointLaunched: 1991 "Pros: Excellent Windows performance
Cons: Expensive, difficult installation The Everex Viewpoint VRAM is harder to install and configure than most boards. Combine this with a $392 street price — the highest in the roundup — and you'll wonder whether the board's fast PowerPoint and Excel performance make the Viewpoint an appealing purchase. One way of curbing the board's high price is to buy it configured with ordinary RAM instead of video RAM (VRAM); this can save you either $100 (for 512K) or $200 (for 1MB). The trade off is a slight decrease in speed. Installation can be difficult for two reasons: You have to install software drivers without a menu, and you may need to set both DIP switches and jumpers. Even when you follow the manual's instructions, you may need to make additional changes. During testing we had to reconfigure a hard disk controller card before the system would boot. Fortunately, the company's toll-free technical support proved extremely helpful. It's unfortunate, though, that calling Everex's 800 number may be necessary. High price and potentially tricky installation make the Viewpoint less appealing than many" PC World, August 1991
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EV-673 EVGALaunched: 1987 The EVGA was designed to provide full VGA capabilities to an IBM PC, XT, AT and compatibles, given that it was an 8-bit ISA card. It provided the standard VGA's 256 colours at 640 x 480 (out of a palette of 256,000) and supported all 17 VGA modes in hardware. In addition, EVGA also supported:
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EV-678 ViewpointLaunched: Late 1989 The Everex Viewpoint arrived in late 1989, offering SVGA resolutions up to 1,024 x 768 in 16 colours. At its core was a Trident 880CS chipset. Its competition at the time included the Ahead Systems VGA Wizard/Wizard Deluxe, Boca Research Super VGA, Genoa SuperVGA Model 6400, Video Seven VGA 1024i, Renaissance RVGA II, Paradise VGA Plus 16, Paradise VGA Professional, STB Systems VGA-EM16, ATI VGA Wonder, Orchid ProDesigner Plus and AST VGA Plus. Performance differences between all these boards is negligible - overall the Viewpoint scored close to the top in an InfoWorld review in December 1989 against these cards and more. |
EV-?? Viewpoint VRAMLaunched: 1991 The Viewpoint VRAM was a three-quarter-slot sized Super VGA card launched in early 1991. Coming in both 512 KB and 1 MB versions, the latter supported resolutions up to 1280x1024 in 16 colours. It also supported 1024x768 in 256 colours flicker-free at 72 Hz. The VRAM was also a decent performer, being beaten only by the STB Powergraph ERGO-VGA. As a crop of Super VGA cards that appeared in 1991, the Viewpoint VRAM went head-to-head against the Boca Research SuperVGA, Diamond SpeedSTAR VGA, Orchid ProDesigner II, Sigma Designs' VGA Legend, STB Powergraph ERGO-VGA, Trident Impact III, and Video Seven VRAM II. "The familiar 'more is better' philosophy seemed to hold true in our roundup of Super VGA boards. Our readers wanted to see boards that supported 1,024-by-768 resolution with 256 colors.
Of the high-end boards reviewed, the STB Powergraph ERGO-VGA was the board that offered the most for the money: It was the speediest board of the bunch. The STB board also offers flicker-free display at 1,024-by-768 resolution. The Everex Viewpoint VRAM came in a close second, and it offers the highest resolution [at 1,280-by-1,024]. Its flicker-free 75-hertz display contributed to its solid performance. The Viewpoint VRAM's list of supported drivers also included OS/2 Version 1.2. The STB, the Everex, and the Diamond [SpeedSTAR VGA] are the only boards in this comparison that offer flicker-free display at 1,024-by-768 resolution. A board must have a vertical scan rate of at least 70-hertz to achieve flicker-free display. The Everex board features the benefit of 1,280-by-1,024 resolution, however the $699 price may motivate you to take a closer look at the less-expensive boards." InfoWorld, 15 April 1991
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